Combination pothead and series cut-out.



P. F. WILLIAMS.

COMBINATION POTHEAD AND SERIES CUT-OUT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-23.1908.

Patented July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SIIEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL F. WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO G. & W. ELECTRICSPECIALTY 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

COMBINATION PO'IHEAD AND SERIES CUT-OUT.

Application filed December 23, 1908.

To all 20 ham it may concern Be it known'that I, PAUL F. WILLIAMS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Combination Potheads and Series Cut-Cuts, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to devices for terminating and connecting cables,wires and other conductors.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, practicaland inexpensive device capable of serving as a terminal for the ends oftwo cables forming the opposite sides of a circuit and for two overheadwires to be connected therewith, and also capable of connecting thewires from the cables, and short circuiting the latter so as to maintainthe cable circuit closed. Such a device I call a combination pot headand series cut out, it being apparent that the device is especiallyadapted for a cut out for a series circuit.

Other objects of the invention are to make the device air tight andwater tight, so that it can be used on outside work, and even so that itcan. be immersed in water without damage or trouble; to gain efficiency,effectiveness, simplicity, cheapness and other desirable results.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of acombination pot head and series cut out embodying my invention; Fig. 2is a cross section of the same taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section of a modified form of the device; Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the same on line 44 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a view of aportion of the device taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

The device shown for carrying out my invention and especially the formillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a base 1 and a top or cover 2,both of which are desirably made of insulating material, preferablyporcelain. The cover 2 fits snugly over the base 1, and has an overhang3 extending a short distance down the sides of the base 1. Both of theseparts are made of greater Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Serial No. 468,920.

width than thickness, so that the base 1 can be provided with twoseparate channels or bores 4, which extend up from the bottom of saidbase to substantially the top thereof as shown in Fig. 1. At the upperend of the base 1 are two contact members 5.5, each of which isconveniently in the form of a fiat metal strip extended across andsecured to portions 1*, 1, at the upper ends of the bores 4, 4. Thesemetal strips have downwardly extending end or tail pieces 6, 6, whichform the contacts, strictly speaking. The two tail pieces or contacts 6,6 are adj acent to one another and extend to and meet each other whenfree to do so. Metal terminal lugs 7,7 are located at the upper ends ofthe bores 4, 4. These lugs are socketed at their lower ends, as shown indotted lines Fig. 1, to receive the ends of cable conductors, when baredof insulation. The upper ends of these lugs are reduced in size andpassed through the walls 1, 1, and provided with nuts 7 7 to hold themin place. The ends of the cable conductors are to be secured to these.lugs, as by sweating, when the lugs are removed from the device, andthen they are inserted in the bores 4, 4 and up through the walls 1, 1and secured in place by the nuts 7 7 The bores 4, 4 are then to befilled with insulating material or compound, and to permit this to beinserted, passageways 1 1", are formed in the porcelain in front of theterminals 7, 7 Bolt holes 99 are provided in the base 1, for the purposeof holding the pot head in place. The insulating material is not shownin the drawings, being omitted for convenience of illustration.

The top 2 is provided with a downwardly extending prong 8 made ofinsulating material, and also with a pair of contact strips 9, 9, havingdownwardly extending end pieces 10, 10, which are secured to theopposite sides of the prong 8, but terminate above the lower end of thesame as shown in the figures. The prong 8 is provided with anenlargement 8 at its lower end, and the metal strips or contacts 66 and1010 are correspondingly shaped, so that there is a clasping or lockingengagement between the prong and its cooperating contacts. Thus when thetop 2 is placed in position upon the base 1, the prong 8 passes downbetween the spring contacts (36 and separates the same, and at the simetime places the metal lic contacts 10, 10 in contact with the contacts6, 6, thereby opening the circuit between the terminal 7, '7 andincluding the contacts 9, 9 in aid circuit. Terminals 11, 11, similar tothe terminals T, 7, are located in sockets 12, 12 in the top 2, and havereduced ends passing down through walls 13, 1 3, and provided with nutsll, 1% to hold them in place. The overhead or other w' ."es orconductors are to be secured to the terminals ll, 11, and then thelatter put in place in the top and insulating material filled into thechambers 12, 12. Thus the circuit can be closed through the device withits top removed, and then another circuit, such as a lamp circuit, canbe included in the cable circuit by putting the top in place. hen thetop is removed, the contacts 6, (3 close the cable circuit before thecontacts 10, 10 are separated from them.

The device is not only air tight, as far as cable ends are concerned,and secured against the entrance oi? rain ii used in outside work, butat the same time is so water tight that it can be inmiersed in waterwithout injury, because should the device not be absolutely tight. allwires being sealed in. the water will force the air upward and form anair cushion around the contactmembers and this air cushion will preventaccess of water to the same.

The member 1 is provided with apertures by which it can be fastened inplace by screws or nails.

The form shown in Figs. 3 and l is iiitended more particularly for useon outside work where it is desirable to have the device used more orless in an opened condition with the lamp out of circuit. This form ismore or less similar to the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, being thatdevice inverted and arranged accordingly. This form comprises a member1", which corresponds substantially with the lower member or base 1 otthe uevice of Figs. 1 and 2, and a lower member 2*, which correspondssubstantially with the upper member 2 of said other form. The uppermember 1 is provided with a flaring or overhanging portion 3 which fitsover the lower member 2, and the two mem bers l and i are provided withmetallic contacts and terminals the same as the memhers I and Q oi thefirst described device. The operation is substantially the same, thelower member being attached to and detachcd from the upper member 1 andthe connections being made and unmade the same as described inconnection with said first form. It will thus be seen that in this formthe lamp or other circuit will be connected in and out of circuit byattaching and detaching the member 2 and that when the member iswithdrawn and disconnected from the member 1 all of the contacts andterminals of the latter will be guarded against rain and moisture. itbeing understood oi course that the channels or bores etl are filledwith insulating material so as to cement the wires or conductorstherein.

Thus it will be seen that the device is made entirely oi insulatingmaterial, and so in sures impcrmeability to moisture and preventsleakage of'current. It can be used in outside work or in water. It formsa terminal tor the cables, and seals them hermcti callv and connectsthem, and also serves to hold the cables in position.

It will be understood that changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

hat I claim is:

1. A device of the class specified comprising a base member providedwith two verti ca ll v arranged bores open at their lower ends andclosed at their upper ends, metallic terminals tor the connection ofelectrical conductors at the upper ends of said bores, said member beingalso provided with a space or recess located between said bores and openat its upper end and closed at its lower end, contact devices connectedwith said terminals and extended to said recess and into the same, a topfitted upon and covering the upper end of said base member, said topbeing provided with a pair of vertically arranged bores or channels openat their upper ends and closed at their lower ends, terminals tor theconnection oi. electrical conductors at the lower ends oi said top boresor channels, and contact devices connected with said top terminals andextended downwardly so as to cooperate with the contact d vices in therecess in said base member.

'2. A device of the class specified comprising a base member providedwith two vertically arranged bores ope at their lower ends and closed attheir upper ends, metallic terminals for the connection of electricalcouductors at the upper ends of said bores, said member being alsoprovided with a space or recess located between said bores and open atits upper end and closed at its lower end, contact devices connectedwith said termi nals and extended to said recess and into the same, atop fitted upon and covering the upper end of said base member, said topbeing provided with a pair of vertically arranged bores or channels openat their upper ends and closed at their lower ends, terminals for theconnection of electrical conductors at the lower ends of said top boresor channels, and contact devices connected with said top terminals andextended downwardly so as to cooperate with the con tact devices in therecess in said base member, said contacts on said top being mounted upona prong or projection 8 extending downwardly from the lower surface ofsaid top and said base member having the upper ends of its verticallyarranged bores or channels provided with side enlargements 1 adapted topermit insulating cement to be poured into said bores or channels fromabove. r

3. The combination of a base member provided with upwardly extendingbores for conductors, the upper ends of said bores being closed and thelower ends being open, terminals at the upper ends of said bores, saidterminals being constructed for the connection of electrical conductorsand having extensions extending through the walls closing the upper endsof said bores, a top covering the upper end of said base member, saidtop being provided with bores for conductors, said bores having theirupper ends open and their lower ends closed, terminals at the lower endsof said top bores, said terminals being constructed for the connectionof electrical conductors in said bores and having extensions extendingthrough the walls closing the lower ends of said bores, and cooperatingcontact members within said base member and top, the contacts on thebase member being connected with the extensions of the base member terminals, and the contacts on the top being connected with the extensionsof the terminals of said top.

1. The combination of a base member pro vided with upwardly extendingbores for conductors, the upper ends of said bores being closed and thelower ends being open, 7

terminals for connection of conductors at the upper ends of said bores,said terminals hav ing extensions extending through the walls closingthe upper ends of said bores, a top fitted upon and covering the upperend of said base member, said top being provided with bores forconductors having their upper ends open and their lower ends closed,terminals for the connection of conductors at the lower end of said topbores, said terminals having extensions extending through the wallsclosing the lower ends of said bores, and cooperating contact memberswithin said base member and top, the contacts on the base member beingconnected with the extensions of the base member terminals and thecontacts on the top being connected with the extensions of the terminalsof said top, said base contact members comprising metallic stripsnormally making contact with one another, and the contacts on the topcomprising metallic strips separated and insulated from each other andadapted when the top is put in position upon the base member, to passbetween and separate the contact strips on said base member, makingcontact with the same.

5. The combination of a base member provided with upwardly extendingbores closed at their upper ends and provided at said upper ends withterminals for the connection of conductors in said bores, a top membercovering and protecting said base member, terminals adapted forconnection of electrical conductors carried by said top member, saidterminals being located on the outer side of portions of the wall ofsaid top which is accessible when the top is in place upon the base,said terminals having extensions extending through said wall portions ofsaid top to the inside thereof, and cooperating contact devices on saidtop and base member.

6. The combination of a base member, terminals for the connection ofelectrical conductors, said terminals being located on the outer side ofthe wall of said base member and having extensions extending throughsaid wall to the interior of said base member, a top fitting over andcovering said base member and protecting the same from the elements,terminals for the connection of electrical conductors carried by saidtop, said terminals being located on the outer side of portions of thewall of said top which are outside of the base member when the top is inposition on the same and having extensions extending through said Wallpor tion to the interior of said top, and cooperating contact devicesinside of said base member and top, said contact devices being connectedwith the inner ends of said terminal devices.

7. The combination of a base member provided with recesses open at theirlower ends and closed at their upper ends, metallic terminals for theconnection of conductors located at the upper ends of said recesses,said terminals being provided with extensions extending from. saidconductor connecting portions through the walls at the upper ends ofsaid recesses, metallic contact strips secured to the inner surfaces ofsaid walls, said contact strips being provided with laterally bent endportions normally in contact with one another, said base member beingprovided with a third recess located be tween the aforesaid recesses andsaid normally contacting portions of said contact strips being locatedin said third recess, a top fitting upon and covering the upper end ofsaid base member, said top being provided with downwardly extendingrecesses open at their upper ends and closed at their lower ends,metallic terminals for the connection of electrical conductors locatedat the lower ends of said top recesses, said terminals having extensionsextending through the walls closing the lower ends of said top recessesto the inner surface of said top, metallic strips secured to said innersurface of said top and connected with the inner ends of said topterminal extensions, said metallic strips being extended toward oneanother and then bent downwardly and said top being provided with aprojection In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe located between saidbent portions of said my name this 1-lth day of December A. D.

o I 7 strips said pro ect1on servlng to separate 1908.

and insulate said bent portions and guide PAUL F. WILLIAMS. the samebetween the normally contacting Vitnesses:

portions of the contact strips on said base A. MILLER BELFIELD,

lnelnber. E. B. CAMPBELL.

Ciopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

